British Air Force Typhoon fighter aircraft have conducted a mission with French aircraft in a combined operation targeting an subterranean weapons facility in Syria employed by the Islamic State group (IS), as stated by the British defence ministry.
The site, identified by reconnaissance, was believed to be housing weapons and explosive materials, the release indicated, and was positioned in mountains just above Palmyra in Syria's central region.
"Our fighter planes utilized precision-guided Paveway IV munitions to strike a several entry passages providing entry to the depot... early reports indicate the objective was successfully hit," the MoD said.
There was no evidence of any civilian impact in the attack late on Saturday and each participating jet returned safely, the ministry further stated.
The Typhoon FGR4s were backed up by a Voyager refuelling tanker.
The Islamic State group - alternatively referred to as Daesh - established jihadist rule over large swathes of Syria and Iraq until 2019.
"This operation underscores the UK's leading role, and commitment to work closely with our partners, to stamp out any revival of the terrorist group and their dangerous and violent ideologies in the region," UK Defence Secretary John Healey stated.
UK warplanes have carried out patrols over Syria to "prevent any attempted resurgence" of Islamic State subsequent to its military defeat at the climactic battle in Baghuz in 2019, the MoD reported.
"I want to thank the personnel of our armed forces who took part in this mission for their expertise and their courage," the Defence Secretary said. "Including them were thousands of British troops on duty over Christmas and New Year. This mission, to take out militants who pose a risk to our safety, highlights how British military are always on standby, throughout the year, ensuring Britain's security at home and powerful internationally."
In December, the US military conducted what it called a "massive strike" targeting Daesh sites in Syria, subsequent to an ambush resulted in the deaths of two US servicemembers and a civilian interpreter in Palmyra.
The U.N. estimates Islamic State still has an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 militants in Syria and Iraq.
